Apple iPhone 12 to bring strong earnings for Foxconn, firm to continue US investments

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Nov 13, 2020

The Apple iPhone 12 series launch is set to have its primary supplier, Foxconn, see strong earning through the holiday and final quarter of 2020. The firm also announced that it would continue its investments in the United States.

During Q3 of 2020, Foxconn raked in a profit of 1.08 billion US Dollars, which was nearly identical to its profits in the same quarter back in 2019. The Coronavirus pandemic is likely to be the primary reason for the flat year on year growth, as the Apple supplier faced costly delays as the product launch was rescheduled, as per an AppleInsider report.

Liu Young-way, Foxconn Chairman, stated that the company is witnessing a “stronger than expected” demand for smartphones and servers in 2020. The former was likely due to the launch of the iPhone 12 series. According to Liu and analysts as well, the trend is expected to continue, with consumer electronics revenue projected to rise by as much as 10 percent in the fourth quarter and rise in early 2021.

Furthermore, Foxconn is also likely to assemble all of the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max models along with 70 percent of all the other models as well, as per certain analysts. The company stated that the projected demand for the new lineup has also encouraged it to continue its investments in US based projects. This includes its Wisconsin factory, which has been facing troubles, as an effort to keep moving forward in the region.

China claims to have installed 700,000 5G base stations this year

By

Jeet

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Nov 13, 2020

5G technology is going mainstream this year but at the same time, only a handful of countries are offering commercial 5G service to the users. One of the leading countries in offering 5G is China and it continues the infrastructure development to gain the lead for next-generation wireless communication technology.

Now, China is claiming that it has built around 700,000 5G base stations in the country so far this year, which has exceeded the company’s original plan of installing 500,000 5G base stations in the country.

EDITOR’S PICK: Samsung Electronics could become Apple Silicon’s M1 chipset manufacturer as TSMC cannot meet demand

Liu Liehong, Vice-Minister at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in China said that the number is more than double the number of 5G base stations installed this year in the rest of the world. However, he has not cited the source for this information.

Last month, MIIT had revealed that more than 690,000 5G base stations are operational in China and over 160 million devices are connected. Liu Liehong has now revealed that more than 180 million devices are connected to 5G.

For complete 5G coverage across the country, China will need to install 10 million 5G base stations, which will require an investment of around 2 trillion yuan ($280 billion).

As said, China wants to be a leader when it comes to cutting-edge technologies like 5G, Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and more. These technologies are considered to be a key factor for the modern economy and China is competing with other countries like the United States to dominate the market.

Samsung Galaxy A42 5G has Snapdragon 750G, confirms Google Play Console listing

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Nov 13, 2020

In September, Samsung announced the Galaxy A42 5G. While the company revealed the entire specs of the phone, it is yet to confirm the name of the chipset that powers it. Before its launch, there were rumors that it is fueled by the Snapdragon 690 chipset. However, a Geekbench listing that appeared after its launch revealed that it is driven by the Snapdragon 750G. The handset has now appeared at the Google Play Console with some of its key specs including the chipset.

As it can be seen in the screenshot, the Qualcomm processor that fuels the Galaxy A42 5G is mentioned with its SM7225 model number. This confirms that the device is drive by the Snapdragon 750G chipset. The Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite and Motorola Moto G 5G are the only other phones that feature the SD750G chip.

The Galaxy A42 5G is available in Europe with a price tag of £349. It comes in colors like Prism Dot Black, White, and Gray colour options.

Editor’s Pick: Samsung Electronics could become Apple Silicon manufacturer

The Samsung Galaxy A42 5G has a 6.6-inch S-AMOLED display that delivers an HD+ resolution of 720 x 1600 pixels and a 20:9. A fingerprint sensor is embedded under the display of the phone. The SD750G chip is assisted by up to 8 GB of RAM. The handset has an internal storage of 128 GB and a microSD card slot for additional storage.

Samsung Galaxy A42 5G color variants — Samsung Galaxy A42 5G

The Galaxy A42 5G has a 20-megapixel front-facing camera and a rear camera setup that includes a 48-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel ultrawide lens, a 5-megapixel macro lens, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. The 5,000mAh battery of the A42 5G is coupled with 15W charging.

Huawei DriveOne unveiled as the company’s first all-in-one electric drive system

By

Jeet

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Nov 13, 2020

Huawei, the Chinese giant which is one of the leading companies in the world when it comes to telecom equipment and smartphones, has expanded its product offering in various other categories. The company is now also focusing on IoT and AI. In line with that, it has announced its all-in-one electric drive system — Huawei DriveOne.

The company claims that DriveOne is the industry’s first hyper-converged power domain solution. It integrates seven mechanical and power components — Micro Control Unit (MCU), Motor, Reducer, DC Converter (DCDC), On-board Charger (OBC), Power Distribution Unit (PDU), and Battery Control Unit (BCU).

The system is aimed at achieving simple development, simple adaptation, simple layout, and simple evolution. Huawei has also a self-developed AutoSar system which is offering end-cloud collaborative development that significantly improves development efficiency.

EDITOR’S PICK: Samsung Electronics could become Apple Silicon’s M1 chipset manufacturer as TSMC cannot meet demand

It is said that DriveONE can minimize the layout of the vehicle power domain, save 220mm in the Z direction, reduce 2 mounting brackets, shorten wiring harness by 5m, reduce 3 connectors, and reduce water nozzles and 2 water pipes.

The system adopts a centralized and flat OTA architecture that simplifies the path and reduces the complexity of versioning while ensuring performance improvement. This shortens 10min upgrade time to 30s and enables one-key speedy upgrades.

Huawei says that it is the industry’s first high-voltage all-in-one electric drive system that can meet the 2C fast-charging experience and offer 200km range in 10 minutes of charging. It is said to be more efficient, more accurate, and more power-efficient than the previous similar solutions.

Samsung Electronics could become Apple Silicon manufacturer

By

Jeet

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Nov 13, 2020

Apple has already announced its new M1 chipset as a part of Apple Silicon and with that, it has officially begun the process of transitioning from Intel to its own chipsets for the Mac devices. This seems to be a move that could help Samsung Electronics as well.

According to the report coming via BusinessKorea, there’s a strong possibility that the South Korean giant Samsung Electronics could become the manufacturer for the M1 chipset. If this turns out to be true, then Samsung will be making chipsets for Apple after about five years.

Currently, the M1 chips are being manufactured by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). But since the company is having difficulty meeting the demand for the while order volume, Apple could shift some of the orders to Samsung.

It’s noteworthy that the newly launched M1 chipset is made using the 5nm process and TSMC and Samsung are the only two companies in the world right now that have the capabilities to manufacture 5nm chips.

EDITOR’S PICK: PUBG Mobile is coming back to India with a $100 million investment, in-game content, and more

The M1 chipset packs a staggering 16 billion transistors, which is significantly higher than the 11.8 billion used in the iPhone 12’s A14 Bionic. The CPU core has an eight-core arrangement, which includes four high-performance cores for heavy-duty work and four high-efficiency cores for low-priority tasks.

It also has dedicated circuitry for graphics and artificial intelligence processing. The memory chips are also housed within the same chip package alongside the processor, which should result in better speed.

Apple Silicon’s M1 chipset-powered Mac devices are claimed by the company to be three and a half times faster than the previous Intel-based models. The graphics speed also comes in five times faster, according to Apple.

OPPO Reno5 4G (CPH2159) bags NBTC, EEC, and TKDN certifications

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Nov 13, 2020

OPPO is reportedly gearing up to launch the Reno5 series of smartphones in China. It is believed that the OPPO PEGM00 / PEGT00 phone that was recently approved by China’s TENAA authority could be the Reno5. The PDSM00 phone that appeared on Geekbench could be the Reno5 Pro for China. In some markets outside of China, it may sell the 4G version of the Reno5 series. Today, an OPPO phone with a CPH2159 model number appeared in the database of Thailand’s regulatory body. The listing has revealed that the phone will be arriving in the country as the OPPO Reno5.

Oppo Reno 5 (4G) is Now NBTC, EEC & TKDN Certified.
Oppo Reno 5 is Also Imported To Pakistan.
NBTC Certification Suggests That Oppo Reno 5 is 4G Device. pic.twitter.com/H7TU1uAk1f

— Abhishek Yadav (@yabhishekhd) November 13, 2020

The NBTC listing shows that the device only supports LTE connectivity. Hence, the CPH2159 model number belongs to the OPPO Reno5 4G smartphone. The CPH2159 model number has been previously seen at certification platforms like EEC of Europe and Indonesia’s TKDN authority. It has also surfaced in the import/export database of Pakistan. None of the listings have revealed the specifications of the Reno5 4G.

Editor’s Pick: INNO DAY 2020: OPPO likely to unveil technologies like infolding phone with in-screen camera, 100x digital zoom, 65W wireless charging

OPPO Reno5 5G specifications (Rumored)

The OPPO Reno5 5G has a 6.43-inch OLED display that produces a Full HD+ resolution. The punch-hole on the screen houses a 32-megapixel selfie camera. The back panel of the phone is fitted with a 64-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel + 2-megapixel quad-camera system.

It is rumored to be powered by the Snapdragon 765G chipset and 8 GB / 12 GB of RAM. The handset is expected to land in China in 128 GB and 256 GB storage options. It lacks a microSD card slot. The phone comes preinstalled with Android 11 OS. Its 4,300mAh battery is coupled with 65W fast charging.

The PDSM00 that appeared at Geekbench could be the Reno5 Pro handset. It was spotted with specs like Dimensity 1000+, 8 GB of RAM, and Android 11 OS.

Nokia Pro True Wireless Earphones P3802A TWS earphones now available in China

By

Jeet

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Nov 13, 2020

Earlier this year, Nokia confirmed its licensing deal with the Chinese company RichGo and as a part of that, the company will be launching Nokia-branded earphones in the market. After launching a few such devices in China, the company has now launched a new earphone — Nokia Pro True Wireless Earphones or Nokia P3802A.

It seems that the device is the same as the original model and the only difference seems to be the support for the Active Noise Cancellation feature. The device is now available for purchase in China for a price of 499 yuan, which is roughly $75.

The product features six microphone system that is claimed to enhance voice clarity while eliminating unwanted background noise for crystal clear calls. The Active Noise Cancellation feature is apparently powered by AI.

EDITOR’S PICK: Best ANC Earbuds Comparison — Xiaomi Air 2 Pro vs Huawei Freebuds Pro vs OPPO Enco X vs Airpods Pro

It packs a 12.5mm dynamic driver that enhances bass notes while the composite diaphragm delivers more detailed sound. This offers clear yet balanced audio that performs at any volume for an immersive listening experience.

There’s also support for voice commands to trigger applications like Google Assistant and Siri, which can be sued to get directions, check calendars, or even make a phone call without needing to take the device out of the pocket.

The Nokia P3802A earphones have an IPX5 rating, making them dust and sweatproof. They are powered by a 720mAh battery that the company promises can offer 35 hours of music playback on a single charge.

BOE launches a 55-inch ultra-high-definition active Quantum Dot display

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Nov 13, 2020

Chinese display maker BOE technology has achieved yet another milestone in LCD technology with the unveiling of a 55-inch 4K active-matrix Quantum Dot light-emitting diode (AMQLED) display. Officially, this is another major progress in the field of BOE electroluminescent quantum dots.

According to the official introduction (via), the 55-inch 4K AMQLED display product launched by BOE this time adopts electroluminescent quantum dot technology and has a resolution of 3840×2160 pixels, a colour gamut of up to 119% NTSC, and a contrast ratio of 1000000:1, which is broad in the field of large-size displays.

At present, the applications of Quantum Dot technology in display products mainly include photoluminescence Quantum Dot backlight technology and active electroluminescence quantum dot diode technology (AMQLED). Different from the photoluminescence quantum dot backlight technology, AMQLED displays do not need a backlight, and the quantum dots can emit light by injecting current. It has the advantages of self-luminescence, wide colour gamut, and long life, which has become the development direction of quantum dot displays.

In case you don’t know, quantum-dot televisions are a new type of LED-backlit LCD TV. The image is created just like it is on an LCD screen, but quantum-dot technology enhances the colour. The backlight system on an LCD TV is a bank of LEDs mounted at the edge of the screen or immediately behind it. That light is diffused, directed by a light-guide plate and beamed through a polarizing filter. The photons then hit a layer of liquid crystals that either blocks the light or allow it to pass through a second polarized filter.

The light passes through a layer of before it meets the second polarizer, light passes through a layer of red, blue, and green (and sometimes yellow) colour filters. These are the subpixels. Electrical charges applied to the subpixels moderate the blend of coloured light visible on the other side. This light cocktail creates the colour value of each pixel on the screen.

UP NEXT: Xiaomi XiaoAI Speaker Art Battery Edition launched for 399 yuan ($59)

Vivo Y51 (2020) bags certifications in Indonesia and India

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Nov 13, 2020

A tipster has revealed that the Vivo Y51 smartphone that has a model number of V2030 has received SDPPI certification in Indonesia. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has also approved the device. Hence, it is likely that the Vivo Y51 will break cover soon in Indonesia and India.

The SDPPI and BIS certifications have not revealed any information on the specifications of the Vivo Y51. This Y-series phone does not seem to be an entirely new device since it has already gone official in Pakistan in September.

Vivo Y51 (2020) specifications and price

The Vivo Y51 (2020) that debuted in Pakistan features a 6.38-inch AMOLED display that produces a Full HD+ resolution of 10880 x 2340 pixels. The screen of the device is integrated with a fingerprint reader.

The Vivo Y51 (2020) receives power to perform from the Snapdragon 665 mobile platform. The device arrived in Pakistan with 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage. It features a microSD card slot for more storage. The handset comes with a FunTouch OS based Android 10 OS.

Editor’s Pick: Vivo X60 and Vivo X60 Pro to come with Exynos 1080 chipset; to start at ~¥3500 (~$528)

The handset is backed by a 4,500mAh battery that is coupled with 18W dual-engine fasts charging technology through USB-C. It has a front camera of 16-megapixel and a 48-mgeapixel + 8-megapixel (ultrawide) + 2-megapixel (macro) + 2-megapixel (depth) quad camera setup. The handset possesses an impressive rhombus-shaped design for its quad rear cameras.

In terms of specs and design, it is like the Vivo S1 Pro that went official in India in January. The only differing features available on the S1 Pro include a 32-megapixel selfie camera and 8 GB of RAM. The rest of the specs of the Y51 (2020) are identical to the S1 Pro. In Pakistan, it is available with a price tag of PKR 36,999 (~$234; ~Rs 17,500).

Honor HJC-AN00 / TN00 specifications leak reveals it’s a rebadged Nova 8 SE

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Nov 13, 2020

In September, two phones with model numbers JSC-AN00 / JSC-TN00 and HJC-AN00 / HJC-TN00 were spotted in the database of China’s TENAA telecom regulatory body. The JSC-AN00 / TN00 has already as the Huawei Nova 8 SE recently. The specifications of the HJC-AN00 / TN00 phone have been revealed today by a Chinese tipster. The leak reveals that it is an Honor branded phone and it will be arriving as a rebadged version of the Nova 8 SE.

The Huawei Nova 8 SE is available in Standard and High versions. These models have identical specs, but they only differ in the chipset department. The Standard model has Dimensity 720, whereas the Dimensity 800U powers the top variant.

Coming to the Honor HJC-AN00 / TN00 specs leak, it reveals that the device has a 6.53-inch FHD+ OLED screen with a waterdrop notch. It has a 3,800mAh battery with 66W fast charging support. The Dimensity 800U chipset is present under the hood of the device.

The Honor HJC-AN00 / TN00 possesses a selfie camera of 16-megapixel and a 64-megapixel + 8-megapixel + 2-megapixel + 2-megapixel quad-camera setup on its back. The handset measures 7.46mm in thickness and it weighs 179 grams. It will be available in colors like Magic Night Black, Iceland Fantasy, Titanium Silver, and Emerald Blue.

Editor’s Pick: Huawei Nova 8, Honor V40 arriving in December, camera design revealed

The leaked specs reveal that the Honor HJC-AN00 / TN00 is nothing but a rebranded version of the Dimensity 800U variant of the Nova 8 SE. At present, there is no word on the actual product name of the Honor phone. The handset has appeared today in TENAA with a few specs as shown above. With TENAA certification in tow, the Honor phone is expected to break cover soon in China.

Alleged Redmi Note 10 4G specifications emerge; Launch could be near

By

Anvinraj Valiyathara

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Nov 13, 2020

Redmi will be soon launching the new Redmi Note series smartphones in China. The model number of these devices are M2010J19SC, M2007J22C, and M2007J17C, respectively. The official names of these devices are not known yet. The first one is a 4G device, whereas the other two are 5G-ready models that have already appeared at TENAA with all their specifications. These devices could be Redmi Note 9 5G and Redmi Note 9 Pro 5G. The M2010J19SC has appeared today at TENAA, but the listing has only a few specs. A well-known tipster from China has shared all the important specs of the device.

The M2010J19SC TENAA listing states that its dimensions are 162.29 x 77.24 x 9.6mm. The images of the device are not yet available in the listing. The handset has a 6.53-inch screen, and it is backed by a huge battery of 5,900mAh rated capacity. Its typical capacity seems to be 6,000mAh. Some reports have claimed that this device could be called the Redmi Note 10 4G or Redmi 10.

A Chinese tipster has shared some more details on the specs of the Redmi M2010J19SC. He has revealed that the phone has an LCD screen that delivers 1080 x 2340 pixels, and it is powered by a 2.0GHz octa-core processor. The 6,000mAh battery of the phone is coupled with 22.5W fast charging, which is already known through its 3C certification. The M2010J19SC phone has a triple camera setup on its back led a 48-megapixel main camera. It has a selfie camera of 8-megapixel. The handset weighs 196 grams.

Editor’s Pick: Redmi GM hints arrival of Redmi Note 9 5G series

The M2010J19CG model number belongs to its global variant. Its IMDA and EEC certifications have revealed that some markets could be receiving it as a POCO branded device.

There seems to be a dedicated variant of the phone for the Indian market. The device has a model number of M2010J19SI, and it has been spotted (via MySmartPrice) at the Geekbench benchmarking platform. The listing reveals that it has a Qualcomm processor with 1.80GHz base frequency, 6 GB of RAM, and Android 10 OS. The source code of the listing shows that the chipset features Adreno 610 graphics, which indicates that the device is powered by the Snapdragon 662. Again, there is no word on the final product name of the device for the Indian market.

YouTube Rewind 2020 edition has been cancelled

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Nov 13, 2020

For about a decade now, YouTube is known to release a special video at the end of the year called Rewind that features creators from the platform as well as clips and trends that were popular that year. For those looking forward to this year’s version, YouTube says it will not be happening.

The official YouTube account put out a statement announcing that “2020 has been different” and “it doesn’t feel right to carry on as if it weren’t”, hence they will be taking a break and won’t make a rewind video this year.

About Rewind this year. pic.twitter.com/oVayH8iyqG

— YouTube (@YouTube) November 12, 2020

The first rewind video was released in 2010 and each edition garners millions of views with 2016’s edition having 239 million views. However, for a few years now, the videos have gotten a lot of flak with the 2018 edition being the most disliked video on YouTube with 18 million dislikes.

The news of Rewind not happening this year has been received positively by some while others are sad about it. Also, YouTube not explicitly saying if they will make one next year has some folks speculating that Rewind may be canceled permanently. Nevertheless, we expect some creators will make their own compilations by the end of the year highlighting important events and trends.

Super Power Saving Mode & Multi-user feature are now available on realme 6 Pro

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Nov 12, 2020

Chinese smartphone maker realme launched realme 6 Pro in the first half of 2020. Since its release, the handset has received multiple updates over the months. It is even eligible for realme UI 2.0 based on Android 11. But ahead of releasing that update, the company is currently seeding out a new build to this device with updated security patch, some new features, optimizations, and fixes.

The latest system update for realme 6 Pro comes with build number RMX2061_11.A.37. Although the brand has released it in November, the software build comes with October 2020 security patch.

Further, the new update brings optimizations for brightness lock, layout of call setting interface, and HeyTap language display issue. It also fixes an issue related to ‘Reject with SMS’ feature and abnormal preview of the video recording interface when filming in 1080p @ 60fps.

As for new features, the latest software build adds Super Power Saving Mode, Multi-user feature, sunset to sunrise toggle for eye comfort. Last but not least, it also adds toggles for screenshot setting interface, display keyboard when entering app drawer, and system icons in status bar.

realme 6 Pro RMX2061_11.A.37 Official Changelog

Security
- Updated Android security patch: October, 2020

Game Space
- Optimized the logic of the default state of the brightness lock

Settings
- Added physical toggle on the setting interface of Screenshot
- Added toggle for display keyboard when entering app drawer
- Added From Sunset to Sunrise toggle for eye comfort
- Added toggle for system icons in Status bar
- Added Super Power Saving Mode
- Added Multi-user feature
- Optimized the language display issue of HeyTap in some scenarios

Call
- Optimized the layout of call setting interface
- Fixed the probabilistic issue of the Reject With SMS feature

Album
- Fixed the issue of the abnormal preview of the recording video interface when filming in 1080P/60 frames

Having said that, the newest system update for realme 6 Pro is currently being rolled out in batches. It should reach all the units in the coming days.

Samsung sits at 2nd Place in the Global Smart Home Patent Application rankings for 2020: Report

By

Balaji S

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Nov 12, 2020

Samsung, just like any other company, applies hundreds of patents every year. Amongst them, Smart Home Application is one area that gets a lot of significance from the company. That looks to be true, as the company is reportedly the World’s second-largest Smart Home Patent Applicant this year.

According to a report by Business Korea(via Sammobile), incoPat, a Chinese patent information analysis company has released a “2020 Global Smart Home Invention Patent Rankings” list. Samsung, which occupies 2nd position in the list, has filed over 909 Smart Home patent applications in total this year. The list reportedly has China’s “Haier” at the top with 1,163 patent applications.

Do note that the report talks only about the Patent Applications list and Holders’ list. Both are entirely different as not all patents get approved. Plus, there is no mention of Patent acquisition anywhere in the report.

Also, as per the report, the ranking list is based on the number of smart-home related patent applications in major areas Globally from January-September 2020. That said, there is another report by Germany’s patent information company IPlytics in August.

It says that Samsung overtakes its competitors in Smart Home Patent Applications cumulatively. Accordingly, Samsung has filed about 9,447 patent applications since 2006. Consequently, it leads the pack which has Huawei in Second with 1,774 patent applications.

This not only shows a sizeable gap but also shows the commitment of Samsung to be the frontrunner of Smart Home Tech. Samsung is giving a lot of importance to Smart Home Tech recently. It already has “Bixby” which has the potential to become an AI voice assistant like competitors. Additionally, there is SmartThings for IoT.

Coming back, the rest of the report talks about the other companies and their patent application numbers behind Samsung. The Third and Fourth places are occupied by China’s Gree(878), and Midea(812). South Korea’s LG bags the Fifth place with 782 patent applications. Lastly, the rest of the list has some biggies like the USA’s Google(474), Apple(328), Japan’s Panasonic, and Sony(~280 each).

FCC certifies Amazfit GTS 2e and Amazfit GTR 2e smartwatches

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Nov 12, 2020

Huami may be borrowing a leaf from Huawei with respect to its second-generation Amazfit GTR and Amazfit GTS smartwatches. Just as Huawei announced the Huawei Watch GT 2e, FCC documents have revealed two new Huami watches named Amazfit GTR 2e and Amazfit GTS 2e.

First spotted by TizenHelp, the Amazfit GTS 2e has the model number A2021 while the Amazfit GTR 2e has the model number A2023. The images from the FCC documents show that the GTR 2e will have a round display while the Amazfit GTS 2e will have a square display. Sadly, there is not much else info about the two watches.

The Huawei Watch GT 2e launched with a sporty design compared to the Watch GT 2. Although the Amazfit GTR 2 comes in both classic and sports editions, the differences between both are limited to the material of the strap and the color of the watch.

If Huami is going the same route as Huawei, then the Amazfit GTR 2e and Amazfit GTS 2e may have a more sports-like design compared to the standard models.

There is no news yet with respect to when these new watches will be announced. They may launch this year or might arrive next year. Nevertheless, we will make sure to let you know once we have more details.

At the moment, Huami has its sight set on the launch of a new smartwatch called the Zepp Z scheduled for November 17. The watch will also be announced in China on November 18.

OPPO’s 125W super fast charger will reportedly go commercial in Q1 2021

By

Jed John Ikoba

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Nov 12, 2020

OPPO in June this year unveiled its innovative 125W wired flash charger alongside a 65W wireless charger at ChinaJoy show. The tech giant left off without revealing when both products would go commercial. Noted tipster Digital Chat Station has disclosed that the 125W super-fast charger will go commercial in the first quarter of next year (2021).

The 125W flash charging technology is currently the industry’s most powerful fast charging technology for mobile phones. It is built on the existing 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 charging protocol. In order to achieve an incredible 125W, the OPPO Flash Charge increases the voltage to 20V while the maximum current drops a little to 6.25A. This is further made possible by significantly improving power density properties. Instead of two 3C cells found on the SuperVOOC 2.0 tech, the new Flash Charge protocol utilizes two 6C cells. The new technology further comes with industry-leading multiple battery tab structures, three parallel charge pumps, and an integrated MCU (Microcontroller Unit) for improving charging efficiency.

The 125W flash charge technology supports mainstream charging technologies like 65W PD (Power Delivery) and 125W PPS (Programmable Power Supply). OPPO says it only takes 5 minutes to charge a 4000mAh battery to 41% while the same battery can be fully charged in 20 minutes.

Given the extremely high wattage being thrust into the smartphone, OPPO has also worked on its safety protection features by adding 10 more temperature sensors to monitor the charging status. Other safety measures include fuse overvoltage protection, Type-C to Type-C wire as well as 128-bit high-strength encryption algorithm

The first OPPO model that will ship with the 125W adapter is still unknown. Considering that OPPO will release the Find X3 series in Q1 next year, the possibility of the flagship having the 125W adapter inside the retail box is not ruled out.

UP NEXT: Xiaomi XiaoAI Speaker Art Battery Edition launched for 399 yuan ($59)

Samsung’s Buy & Get Promotion in South Africa gives vouchers up to R10,000($641)

By

Balaji S

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Nov 12, 2020

Samsung‘s popular Buy&Get Promotion is back in South Africa. This time, the company is giving vouchers up to 10,000 ZAR($641) on the purchase of products like smartphones, refrigerators, tablets, TVs, etc.

Samsung’s festive season reportedly runs(via Sammobile) from October 5 through December 31. Cambridge Mokanyane, Chief Marketing Officer at Samsung South Africa says it’s a way of saying ‘Thank You’ to customers.

Accordingly, the company’s newsroom says it is offering online store vouchers up to 10,000 Rand(~$641) on the purchase of products through participating retailers. However, on looking at the company’s terms & conditions, it seems like the highest voucher is only for the certain Refrigerators, and TV models as below:

Smart Home Products(Max. Voucher Value- 10,000 ZAR)

French Door Refrigerator– Flex Zone 689L, Twin Cooling Plus 600L, Twin Cooling Plus Black.
QLED Smart 8K TV- 82-inch Q800T, 75-inch Q900R, 65-inch Q800T.
We also noticed that if you buy the QLED 98-inch Q900R Smart 8K TV, you are eligible to get an online store voucher up to 50,000 Rand(~$3203). However, the price of the TV is much costlier. Anyway, we suggest you check it with any of the retailers on the list on the terms & conditions website.

Smartphones

For smartphones, the offer program gets you vouchers up to 5,000 Rand(~$320). Smartphones like Galaxy Z Fold 2 and Galaxy Z Flip are eligible for the above voucher. That said, the list also includes other smartphones like the Note 20 series, S20 series.

Other Products

The Buy & Get Program also has other products like Washing Machines, Wearables, Tablets, Air Conditioners. For Air Conditioners(Wind-Free™) you get a maximum voucher of up to 6,000 ZAR($384). Other products like Washing Machines, Wearables, and Tablets have products that get vouchers up to 3,000($192), 3,000, and 1,000 ZAR($64) respectively.

How to redeem the Voucher

So, Once you have purchased any of the “Qualifying products” in the list on the Samsung website, you can follow the steps below to redeem the vouchers online:

After purchasing, Scan the QR code on your product to view the Buy & Get offer.
Now, you can submit your claim by visiting the Samsung website, or Samsung Members App.
Fill the form, and click submit.
After validation, you will get a One-time Online Voucher via email which you can use it on Samsung Online Store.

Galaxy Tab A7- Launch Offer

Amidst this, Samsung has also announced(via Sammobile) the Galaxy Tab A7 2020 in South Africa. The Wi-Fi variant gets an introductory price of 3,999 ZAR($255) that includes a 995ZAR instant discount. However, the LTE variant is selling at 6,495 ZAR($415).

The sole Dark Grey model with 3GB RAM, 32GB Storage variant also gets a 50% off on Book Cover case if purchased before December 31. The retail price of the cover is 1,459 ZAR($93).

RedMagic Cyberpods TWS Gaming Earbuds launched; RedMagic 5s gets a new hue

By

Jed John Ikoba

-

Nov 12, 2020

Nubia‘s gaming-focused subsidiary RedMagic has launched a new pair of innovative truly wireless earbuds aptly named the Cyberpods. These gaming wireless earbuds are Bluetooth 5.0 enabled, have low latency modes, come with atmospheric lights and several other exciting features including a sci-fi design. The product has a distinctive angular gamer-y design which extends to the carrying case. It is also ultra-lightweight, with each earbud weighing in at about 5grams. It deploys the latest Bluetooth technology to provide a strong, stable and low-latency connection, which significantly enhances the gaming experience. RedMagic, in the release notes, stated that the latency of the device is 39ms, which is very low.

Another distinctive feature of the Cyberpods is the atmospheric light on each earbud which reacts and pulses according to the game conditions, that is, it adapts to the dynamics of the game being played. The device has a battery life of 20 hours. Touch controls allow the user to modulate music playback and answer phone calls.

RedMagic Cyberpods TWS Gaming Earbuds Pricing and availability

The RedMagic Cyberpods TWS Gaming Earbuds will be on sale from November 20th and carries a decent price tag of €49.9 (~Rs. 4,400/~$58).

In another light, RedMagic also announced the release of a new Eclipse Black colour variant for the 5S gaming smartphone. The Nubia RedMagic 5S gaming phone was first launched in August this year. the phone is available in Sonic Silver and Pulse colours.

The RedMagic 5S Eclipse Black variant will be sold exclusively in the European market for €579 (~$683).

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The Nokia 8000 4G is HMD Global’s best-looking feature phone

By

Habeeb Onawole

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Nov 12, 2020

Alongside the Nokia 6300 4G, HMD Global has also announced the Nokia 8000 4G and its design puts it miles ahead of the other feature phones.

The phone has a glass-like shell and a finish that is similar to the NCVM coating we have seen on a lot of smartphones in the past. It also has a curved keyboard that flushes with the display and the frame. Buyers will be able to choose from four colorways – Opal White, Onyx Black, Topaz Blue, and Citrine Gold. Personally, I wish there was a Ruby Red.

With respect to its specs, the Nokia 8000 4G has a 2.8-inch screen, a Snapdragon 210 processor under the hood along with 512MB of RAM and 4GB of expandable storage.

A 2MP camera sits at the back of the phone with a camera flash that doubles as a flashlight. Its removable 1500mAh battery will last up to 28 days on standby and provide more than 3 hours of 4G talk time.

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Just like the Nokia 6300 4G, it also has Bluetooth, Wi-Fi with hotspot, FM radio, an audio jack, and comes in single SIM and dual SIM models. It will sell for €79 (~$93) when it goes on sale.

India PC Market recorded its strongest quarter in the last seven years in Q3 2020

By

Sudarshan Ravichandran

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Nov 12, 2020

With people continuing their work and education from home, India PC Market grew 9.2% YoY in Q3 2020, as per research firm IDC (International Data Corporation). As companies managed to ship 3.4 million units. the last quarter was the strongest quarter in India in the last seven years. Also, the consumer market recorded its largest quarter ever with 2 million shipments, accounting for 41.7% YoY and 167.2% QoQ growths respectively.

That’s not all, Apple also had its biggest quarter in India by growing 19.4% YoY in Q3 2020. Also, newcomers like Avita and Xiaomi performed well. Since the reopening of schools and colleges is uncertain, the market is expected to remain strong in Q4 as well.

On the other hand, the commercial segment did not see many shipments compared to Q2. Hence, the enterprise market only grew by 3.1% YoY. Also, enterprises preferred notebooks over desktops and therefore, the former’s shipments increased by 70.1% YoY. Lastly, the SMB market witnessed a 5.5% YoY growth as certain businesses have started operating.

Talking about brands, HP led the market with a 28.2% market share with 965,000 units in shipments and 16.6% YoY growth. Lenovo came second with a 21.7% share. It shipped 744,000 units and as a result of this, the company declined the most among the top 5 players by 16.9% YoY.

Then, Dell claimed the third position with 731,000 units in shipments, 21.3% share, and 18.2% YoY growth. Acer in fourth place with a 9.5% market share was the only top brand other than Lenovo to saw a decline, 12.4% YoY to be exact by shipping 327,000 units.

Last but not least, Asus was the fifth largest PC brand in India in Q3 2020 with a 7.5% market share. It was also the best-performing brand as it achieved 55.4% YoY growth by shipping 403,000 units.

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